Many minimally invasive medical techniques are aimed at reducing the amount of damage done to tissue during the exploratory diagnostic or surgical procedures. The net effect of these less invasive techniques is to reduce patient recovery time, discomfort, and adverse side effects. Among the many medical procedures performed each year, many can potentially be performed in a minimally invasive manner. However, only a relatively small number of surgeries currently use these techniques due to limitations in minimally invasive surgical instruments and techniques as well as the additional surgical training required to master them.
Advances in minimally invasive surgical technology could dramatically increase the number of surgeries performed in a minimally invasive manner. The average length of a hospital stay or the number of medical visits are typically greater in traditional prior art surgical techniques than for minimally invasive surgical techniques. Thus, the complete adoption of minimally invasive techniques could produce significant savings in hospital and/or dental visits and patient recovery, such as discomfort, side effects and reduced down time for the individual patient.
There are many types of minimally invasive medical techniques including endoscopy, laparoscopy, certain cosmetic surgery techniques and the like. Generally, the type of instruments needed in these medical procedures, include clamps, graspers, scissors, staplers or needle holders. The working tools or instruments are similar to those used in a conventional (open) surgery but with the addition of an extension portion. In performing the medical procedure, a medical professional passes the working tools or instruments into the patient and will manipulate them from outside the patient with the assistance of a television monitor or the like.
Additionally, many medical procedures may allow for the medical professional to oversee the procedure by utilizing a monitor, whereby a camera is mounted to the medical device utilized in the procedure.
However, there are a variety of disadvantages relating to minimally invasive surgical techniques. For example, existing minimal invasive techniques still require the utilization of instruments that deny the surgeon flexibility of tool placement found in an open surgery. Most current minimally invasive tools have rigid shafts and the difficulty experienced in approaching the medical procedure site. Additionally, the length and construction of many instruments reduces the medical professional's ability to feel forces exerted by tissues and organs on the end effector of the associated tool. The lack of dexterity and sensitivity of these tools is a major impediment to the expansion of minimally invasive procedures.
Additionally, another disadvantage is that the medical procedure is still performed by a medical profession that may be prone to mistakes, slips and the like. Human error is always an issue in any medical procedure.
With advances in computer technology, it is now possible for computer controlled robotic systems to accept, interpret data and control a robotic system during a medical procedure. Unfortunately, robotic arms often have responsive limitations which may be more restrictive than a human medical professional. Furthermore, the robotic arm joints often have limits in their displacement capability or range of achievable position relative to each other. Further, the robotic arm and surgical instrument assemblies may have positional limits beyond which it is not possible to move.
Another problem with active computer controlled robotic system is that they require significant operational costs in the form of structural elements necessary to run the robotic system, including motors, significant power supply to power the motors, electrical connections, active actuators and computer systems to link the robot to the computer controlling programs.
Moreover, sufficient data must be inputted into the robotic system such that the robot knows the type of procedures and restrictions required during the medical procedure. The robotic systems are typically not adaptable. Therefore, if a patient moves prior to the procedure, the robotic system may be misaligned to the proper points of procedure and significant mistakes may be made. Typically, a medical procedure must be supervised by a medical professional in order to insure proper technique and application to the individual patient. Constant supervision by the medical professional and adaption is necessary must be contemplated.
The object of this invention is to provide a method and control system whereby a robotic surgery/medical procedure technique may be sufficiently controlled by the system and whereby treatment and planning systems are all done by the system. Currently, a need exists for a passive robotic system which allows for control of a passive actuator without the need for cost prohibitive robotic motors and the like.
Therefore, a need exists for a surgical/medical procedure that may be performed by a passive robotic system after collection of information from the patient scans and after sufficient analysis and models have been made by the system. Further exists for a medical procedure to be performed by a passive robotic system whereby the system may be guided simply by a medical professional after a treatment plan has been effectuated and the system utilizes the scanned data and the treatment plan to properly perform the surgical and/or medical procedure, once those plans have been detailed and accepted by a medical professional.